Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1887-04-29

people going into a business they know
nothing about A man makes a fortune in
one business, thinks there is another occu-
patton more comfortable goes into it and
sinks all.
Many of the commercial establishments of
our cities are giving to their clerks mercan-
tile education as thorough as Yale or Harry
ard or Princeton are giving scientific attain
ment to the students matriculated. The rea-
son there are SO many men laundering in
business from year to year is because their
early mercantile education was neglected
Ask these men high in commercial circles,
and they will tell you they thank God for
this severe discipline of their early clerkship.
You can afford to endure the wilderness
march if it is going to end in the vineyards
and orchards of the promised land. But you
say: evil the womanly clerks in our stores
have promotionl" Yes. Time is coming
when women will be as well paid for their
toll in mercantile circles as men are now paid
for their toll Time is coming when woman
will be allowed to do anything she can do
WE'LL It is only little while ago when
women knew nothing of telegraphy, and they
were kept out of a great many commercial
circles where they are now welcome; and the
time will go on until the woman who at one
counter in a store sells $4,000 worth of goods
in a year will get as high salary as the man
who at the other counter of the same store
sells $4,000 worth of goods. All honor to
Lydia the Christian saleswoman. And IN
passing, I may as well say that you mer-
chants who have female clerks in your stores
ought to treat them with great courtesy and
kindness. When they are not positively en-
gagged, let them sit down. In England and
the United States physicians have protested
against the habit of compelling the womanly
clerks in the stores to stand. Therefore, l
add to the protest of physicians the protest of
the Christian church, and in the name of
good health, and that God who has made the
womanly constitution more delicate than
mans, demand that you let her sit down.
The second counsel 1 have to give to the
clerks who are here to-day is that you seek
out what are the lawful regulations of your
establishment, and then submit to them.
Every well ordered house has its usages. In
military life, on ships deck, in commercial
life, there must be order and discipline.
Those people who do not learn how to obey
will never know how to command. will
tell you what young man will reach ruin,
financial and moral; it is the young man who
thr,lsts his thumb into his vest and says:
Nobody shall dictate to me; I am my own
master; will not submit to the regulations
Of this house." Between an establishment in
which all the employees are under thorough
discipline and the establishment in which the
employees do about as they choose is the
difference between success and failure-be-
tween rapid accumulation and utter bank
ruptcy. Do not come to the store ten minutes
after the time. Be there within two seconds
after. Do not think anything too insignifi-
cant to do well. Do not say, "1ts only just
once From the most important transaction
i'll commerce down to the particular style in
which you tie string around a bundle, obey
orders. Do not get easily disguised. While
others in the store may lounge, Or fret, or
complain, you go with ready hands and
cheerful face and contented spirit to your
work. When the bugle sounds, the good
soldier asks no questions, but shoulders his
knapsack, fills his canteen and listens for the
command of "March!" Do not get the idea
that your interests and those of your en-
ployer are antagonistic His success will be
your honor His embarrassment will be your
dismay. Expose none of the frailties of the
firm. Tell no store secrets. Do not blab.
Rebuff those persons who come to find out
from clerks what ought never be known out
side the store. Do not be among those young
men who take on mysterious air when
something is said against the firm that en-
ploys them, as much as to say: II could tell
you some things if would, but I WON'T"
Do not be among those who imagine they can
build themselves up by pulling somebody else
down. Be not ashamed to be subaltern.
Again / counsel clerks in this house to
search out what are the unlawful and dishon-
est demands of establishment and resist
them. In the 5000 years that have passed
there has never been an occasion when it was 4
ones duty to sin against God 1t is never
right to do wrong If the head men of the
firm expect of you dishonesty, disappoint
them. "Oh,' you say, II should lose my
place then" Better lose your place than lose
your soul But you will not lose your place.
Christian heroism is always honored. You
go to the head men of your store and say:
''Sr, want to serve you; want to oblige
you; it is from no lack of industry ON my
part, but this thing seems to me to be wrong,
and it is a sin against my conscience; it is a
sin against God, and beg you, sir to excuse
me.'' He may flush up and swear, but he will
cool down and he will have more admiration
for you than for those who submit to his evil
dictation; and while they sink you will rise.
Do not because of seeming temporary adj
vantage, give up your character, young man.
Under God that is the only thing you have
to build on. Give up that, you give up
everything That employer asks a young
man to hurt himself for time and for eter-
nifty who expects him to make a wrong entry
or change an invoice, OF say goods cost so
much when they cost less; or impose upon
the verdancy of a customer Or misrepresent
a style of fabric. How dare he demand III
you anything so insolent?
There is one style of temptation thatcoroos
on great many of our clerks, and, that is
upon those who are engaged in Whit is called
drumming" Now, that occupation is inst
as honorable as any other, if i he conducted
in accord with ones conscie%e.. Tn This dav
when there are so many Eyalries in business
all our commercial establishments ought to
have men abroad whoare seeking ont for on
portunities of merchandise. There can he no
objection to that, But there are professed
Christian mercfAnts in the week night PRAYER
meetlng VINO have clerks abroad in New
YORK CONFLICTING merchants of Cincinnati
and bhlcgo and st. Louis through the de-
oauchea.es of the great town in order to
securet Che custom for the store. There are in
storss in New York and Brooklyn drawers in
Which there.are kept moneys which the clerks
L@re to go to and get whatever they want to
conduct these people through the designations
of the city. The head men of the firm wink
at IL, ana IN some places actually demand 1t
-professed Christian merchants One would
think that the prayer would freeze on their
lips and they would fall back dead at the
sound of their own song. What chance is
there for young men when commercial es-
Establishments expect such things of theme
Among all things INTERNAL pronounce that
the most oamnable. Young man, how will
that firm treat you when you are utterly de-
spoiled and dragged out with sin going
through the haunts of iniquity for the pur-
pose of getting customers for their storel
How will they treat yous Oh, they will give
you pension! They will build you fine
house! They will get you horse and car
riage! Will theys No. Some day you wilk,
go to the store, shabby, intoxicated, womn'
out in their service, and they will say: "J0 Sow
you are a disgrace to our. house. how,
just look at yourself. Accountant6lar and
much do you owe thissman?" "a d2ere it is:
thirty cents" "Well, now, here-k/ Don,t be
dollar and thirty cents. Go off aona ni,nitv
hanging around the store" from his eve
superb! They stole the lstey and tbe honor
and the color from his cheek kicked him out.
from his SO,l1 and then the/